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As Tax Day Looms, Every Minute Counts At CPA Firm

At firms preparing their clients’ tax returns, the level of activity grows increasingly intense each year as the April 15 filing deadline approaches.

For Stanislawski & Harrison, CPAs, a Pasadena, Calif.-based accountancy, the pace is no different.

Michelle Racioppi Johnson, the firm’s director of operations,said everyone feels the pressure of the deadline.

“The final weeks before filing deadline are incredibly busy,” Johnson explained. “Mass information is being exchanged among the staff and clients in every manner - paper, email, secure portal, and voice communication. Everyone has been working long hours and we are feeling the pressure of the approaching deadline. It’s a time where every minute counts and the ability to streamline, where possible, is key.”

The employees are using ShoreTel’s IP-based communications system to maximize their efficiency, Racioppi Johnson said.

“Our ShoreTel phone system has been most helpful with streamlining the exchange of information,” she said. “Voicemails are left, forwarded and replied to with a click of the mouse. The onscreen directory is most helpful in our large office, allowing us to see who is out of the office or on the phone without having to leave our desk. Most of our employees take advantage of the ability to listen to their voicemails via email on their cell phone devices, while traveling to and from the office. They also utilize the call forward features on their office phones, allowing them to answer incoming office calls from remote locations, eliminating ‘phone tag.’”